Suit Challenges Teacher's Involvement In Weekly High School Prayer Group

The American Humanist Association yesterday announced the filing of a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a weekly Christian prayer session sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Students at Fayette, Missouri High School. The complaint (full text) in American Humanist Association v. Fayette R-III School Distrct, (WD MO, filed 11/20/2013), alleges that the devotional sessions, held before the beginning of first period in the classroom of Gwen Pope, adviser to the Christian student group, violate the Establishment Clause. Plaintiffs say that Pope participated in the prayer sessions, in violation of school policy. Her husband, a former youth minister for a local Methodist church also attended the sessions. Plaintiffs also allege that the school principal endorsed and promoted the devotional sessions.